The 2011 Naismith Awards, presented to college basketball's best player, is dwindling down their list. The watch list at midseason includes 30 players in all and four Big 12 players including Missouri Tigers' Marcus Denmon and Kansas Jayhawks' Marcus Morris.
Denmon is having a terrific year averaging 16.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the 18-6 Tigers. He's scored under double digits just once since Nov. 23. He's been a spark plug for the Tigers at times scoring over 20 points seven times this season.
Morris is also having a great averaging 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the 23-1 Jayhawks. He's big and he's efficient hitting on 61 percent of his shots. Impressive season for Morris on a team full of great players.
Here's the full watch list at the midseason:
ACC (5): Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech; Kyle Singler, Duke; Chris Singleton, Florida State; Nolan Smith, Duke; Jordan Williams, Maryland
Atlantic 10 (1): Tu Holloway, Xavier
Big East (5): Austin Freeman, Georgetown; Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame; Rick Jackson, Syracuse; Kemba Walker, Connecticut; Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh
Big Ten (5): JaJuan Johnson, Purdue; Jon Leuer, Wisconsin; Demetri McCamey, Illinois; E'Twaun Moore, Purdue; Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Big 12 (4): Alec Burks, Colorado; Marcus Denmon, Missouri; Jordan Hamilton, Texas; Marcus Morris, Kansas
Colonial (1): Charles Jenkins, Hofstra
Mountain West (2): Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young; Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State
Ohio Valley (1): Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
Pac-10 (3): Isaiah Thomas, Washington; Klay Thompson, Washington State; Derrick Williams, Arizona
Southeastern (2): Terrence Jones, Kentucky; Trey Thompkins, Georgia
West Coast (1): Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's